A Very Special Christmas

For fourteen years this series of albums has benefited the Special Olympics and thousands of people with mental retardation. Not only does buying this album support a great cause, it brings you some winning Christmas music performed by contemporary artists. This year's album features Cheryl Crow, B.B. King, Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty and more.

Five volumes in 14 years would probably qualify these all-star benefit albums (Special Olympics) as a holiday tradition by now, even if all five have been hit-and-miss affairs. Still, the 2001 edition has a few more highlights than a quick glance at its offerings might indicate. Jon Bon Jovi tries to imitate Elvis on "Blue Christmas," and Darlene Love--surely as important a voice in the genre as Bing Crosby--falls short in her attempt to recreate her superior 1963 Phil Spector version of "White Christmas." Genuinely cool, though, are Macy Gray's jazzy "This Christmas," Eve 6's pop-metallic "Noel! Noel!," City High's hip-hop Christmas hybrid, and SR71's goofy take on Billy Squier's already goofy "Time to Say I Love You." Things get downright steamy--and Santa-sized--when John Popper meets up with B.B. King for the bluesy " Back Door Santa."

Here's our list of the top ten Christmas music albums.